Spence vs. Tszyu live updates, round-by-round coverage
After a thrilling main event in Saudi Arabia, fight fans are now tuning in to a hard-hitting affair Down Under.
For the first time in three years, Errol Spence Jr. steps into the ring as he looks to bounce back from the only blemish of his career. Standing opposite him is Tim Tszyu, the former light-middleweight champion who is blazing his own comeback trail.
These two fighters followed a different blueprint for dealing with defeat. Spence, who was badly beaten at the hands of Terrence Crawford in 2023, chose to hit the pause button. Tszyu, who kept losing and winning and swinging some more, opted for repeat.
When the play button is pressed this weekend, which fighter will face the music at Sydney Olympic Park?
Keep refreshing this page for live updates and round-by-round coverage of the Spence vs. Tszyu main event.
Final Thoughts
The result was clear as day, and the judges had it right with a unanimous decision in favor of Tim Tszyu.
It’s precise shots like these that helped Phoenix pull off this win.
That’s a wrap for ALL-STAR’s coverage of this boxing double-header! Tune in next week, folks!
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 12
And now, Spence daps up Tszyu. That’s funny, and that’s ironic. Tszyu may yet go for the kill, but he’s not doing it in the first minute of the last round. Nasty body shot by Tszyu, set up by his jab. Now, the crowd is clamoring for Tszyu to go for it. Right on cue, another power punch from Phoenix! Spence is just trying to backpedal to survive at this point. He clearly doesn’t want to go to sleep. Tszyu connects with Spence’s chest with less than a minute left. And that’s it. 10-9 for Tszyu in that final round.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 11
Spence is looking more and more vulnerable as this fight progresses. Again, Tszyu is landing clean shots while Truth’s offense is sporadic at best. It’s quite easy for Tszyu to get out of harm’s way when Spence throws his punches. Some hard-hitting shots from Tszyu with under a minute left. Spence is losing this fight badly. This will be 10-9 for Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 10
Tszyu goes for the body, then lands another right on the side of Spence’s head. Truth is trying to stay active, but there’s a difference between volume and accuracy. Tszyu counters body shot attempts by Spence with a 1-2 combination. Spence is still firmly in control of this bout. 10-9 for Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 9
Interesting dichotomy as Spence leads the body shot count while Tszyu has more head shots landed after eight rounds. It’s still Tszyu pressing forward and Spence circling away. Halfway through the round, Spence walks right into a right hand. Another right lands on Spence’s jaw as the final minute approaches. I’ll credit Spence for his tough jaw, but Tszyu is letting him have that right hand over and over again. 10-9 for Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 8
For Spence to last this long after a three-year hiatus is a feat in and of itself. However, Tszyu looks like he’s got Truth’s number. Spence looks like he keeps going for the clinch, which is not a good sign at all. The ref warns Spence again for punching below the belt. Solid combinations from Tszyu, followed by a body shot. Tszyu has also been looking for that right uppercut, but he hasn’t been able to land it yet. Yet again, that’s 10-9 for Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 7
Again Tszyu is closing the gap and fighting on the front foot. That right hand has been landing more frequently. Clearly, Tszyu is dictating the pace of this fight at this point. Nice right hook from Tszyu draws the adulation of the crowd. With less than 30 seconds left, Tszyu is still winning the exchange. That’s 10-9 for Tszyu, and Spence is not in a good place at all.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 6
The stats show that Tszyu holds a slight lead in terms of head shots landed. However, since the fifth round, the accuracy of both Phoenix and Truth has declined. Just as I type that, Tszyu lands a right hand in close quarters. The referee is warning Spence for something, and I think it’s for a low blow again. A pair of beautiful right hands from Tszyu staggers Spence! Tszyu, by the way, has been throwing more body shots in this round. Clearly trying to open up Spence for more head shots. Tszyu takes it 10-9 for me.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 5
Are both fighters gassed at this stage? They look sluggish, though Tszyu is definitely more active than he was in the first two rounds. I think the crowd is getting a bit restless with this less-than-appealing round. Tszyu lands a sweeping right hand in the final seconds of the round. I’ll give that 10-9 to Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 4
Spence’s conditioning doesn’t seem to be a problem in the early rounds. After getting scolded by his coaches for waiting too much, Tszyu is now more active, increasing his volume and landing some nice jabs. I’ll give that 10-9 to Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 3
We’re getting close-quarter combat here. Spence has the slight edge as he continues to work the body. I think Tszyu was trying to tire out Spence in the earlier rounds, getting him to swing in the first two minutes before going in for his own offense. Not sure it’s working, though. Spence continues to stay busy, landing a nice gut punch in the last minute. I’ll give that 10-9 to Spence, thanks to the body shots he’s landed.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 2
Now, Tszyu is trying to close the distance. Spence isn’t really connecting with his jabs, so Phoenix isn’t afraid to move forward. Once again, Spence has the edge in terms of volume but he’s not landing a lot. Tszyu is now hunting his shots towards the last minute. Solid left by Spence finds its mark! That’s 10-9 to Spence.
Spence vs. Tszyu: Round 1
Spence gets booed by the Australian crowd, which I’d attribute to his refusal to shake Tszyu’s hand in the buildup to this fight. Truth doesn’t care about that, of course. Spence is staying active with the jab to start off the fight. Tszyu has barely thrown anything in the first minute. Now Spence is going for the body, then throwing a combination. Nice right hand by Tszyu, followed by a beautiful hook. I’d give this round 10-9 to Tszyu.
Spence vs. Tszyu: The Ringwalks Are Here
Tszyu is coming out to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” which I truly appreciate. The Sydney crowd is happy to see their countryman in the main event.
Meanwhile, Spence looks REALLY tense as he comes out to a somber melody. Is Big Fish feeling the butterflies more than he’s ever felt in his career?
Spence vs. Tszyu: What Happened in the Undercard?
Here are the results of the three fights heading into the Spence vs. Tszyu main event.
Lightweight
Ahmad Reda def. Paul Fleming via unanimous decision
Middleweight
Callum Peters def. Ivan Actis via TKO (Round 7)
Light Heavyweight
Paulo Aukuso def. Luis Tejada via TKO (Round 10)
Knockout of the Year Candidate
There are only three fights on the undercard of Spence vs. Tszyu, and the very first one has already produced a viral moment.
After wearing down Luis Tejeda in the ninth round, Paulo Aokuso landed a well-placed left in the opening moments of Round 10. Tejeda fell flat on his back as Aokuso celebrated his hard-earned victory in this light heavyweight bout.
The devastation of this moment makes Aokuso’s finish a candidate for KO of the year. Top that, Spence and Tszyu.
Guess Who’s Here? (Your Bud and Mine)
Terrence Crawford, the former pound-for-pound king who called it a career last December, has pulled up to the Afterpay Arena
How apropos, then, that Spence’s comeback moment will be graced by the last fighter that he shared a ring with in 2023. We miss you, Bud!
Spence vs. Tszyu: What Happened at the Weigh-in?
At the official weigh-in, both fighters came in at 159 pounds and made weight for their middleweight clash.
In the buildup to this fight, the issue of weight was a major talking point. Though the bout was initially slated for a 158-pound catchweight, Spence made a late request to bump this to 160 pounds. Tszyu’s camp agreed to these terms less than two weeks before fight night.
Critics immediately pounced on Spence after this news broke. On an episode of the “Boxing With Mannix and Mora” podcast, DAZN analyst Sergio Mora proclaimed that “the writing’s on the wall” for Big Fish. “It’s going to end bad for Errol Spence,” Mora said.
